Overshoe.



No. 789,621. PATENTBD MAY 9, 1905.

` G. P. MATHEWSON & G. W. SGHELL.

OVERSHUE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1904.

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STATES Patented May 9, 190.

PATENT OFFICE.

SCH ELL, OE CLEVELAND,

OVERSHOE..

SPECIFICATION fOIlnIlg pari; Of Letters Patent NO. 789,621, dated May 9, 1905.

Application filed April Q, 1904. Serial N0 202,292.

fo all 'who-m, it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES P. MATHEi fsoN and CHRISTIAN W. SCHELL, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Overshoes, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in overshoes of that class known as low-cut or sole rubbers and to ladies rubbers, which in use are found more liable to be accidentally displaced from the shoe than the ordinary classes of high-cut overshoes.

The object of our invention, therefore, is to provide simple, effective, and economical means not only for retaining` the overshoe on the foot of the wearer, but to cause the same to iit better and more closely to the shoe than is possible with similar articles now upon the market.

We are aware that the prior art exhibits a number of adjuncts for overshoes seeking to secure generally one or both of the desirable features above referred to, the same iinding embodiment ordinari] y in metallic springs variously associated with the overshoe to clamp the same upon the foot of the wearer, or, again, in a stout non-stretchable baud encircling more or less closely the opening of the overshoe. These structures, however. are found to be inadequate and undesirable upon several accounts, for the reason, primarily, that the metallic parts or springs do not readily conform to the inserted shoe and are very likely to be torn from the body of the overshoe during the flexure of the wearers foot, while adding undesirable stiffness to the overshoe, and where a uon-stretchable band or cord is employed. it is found in practice that the overshoe must be so tightly litted that the cord and rubber fabric are commonly torn apart, thereby destroying the efficiency ofthe overshoe, while in any instance the lit of such an article about the side of the shoe is very poor. Having in mind these disadvantages and the requirements for a more satisfactory article of footwear, we have provided an overshoe wherein means found in a suitably-positioned portion of elastic material, preferably a web of pure gum, is provided within the overshoe, so that upon the insertion of the protected shoe the elastic material will be distended sufiiciently to cause said overshoe both to cling closely to the wearers foot and also to lit the same better than is otherwise obtainable. This insertion of a highly-elastic material within the body of the overshoe, moreover, is found to relieve the strain upon the rubber compound or fabric, which, as is well known to the trade, has Afew of the properties of true rubber. The overshoe as thus improved will be found to withstand use and wear longer than it otherwise would.

Our invention will be more readily appreciated by making reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown a low-cut overshoe or sole-rubber equipped with our improvements.

Figure I. thereof is a side elevation of said overshoe. Fig. 1I thereof is a similar view illustrating the same with the shoe of the wearer inserted. Fig. 1li is a partial sectional View indicating means for retaining the sole portion in place. Fig. 1V is a sectional View of the overshoe on line 4 4, Fig. I; and Fig. Vshows in section a modified form of the structure of Fig. Hi for retaining the sole portion of the overshoe in place.

The same character of reference is employed in each of said figures to indicate similar parts.

Although not necessarily positioned precisely as indicated in the drawings, we have ascertained by careful experiment that the disposition of two webs or strips of pure gum or other suitable elastic material a upon either side of the heel-section, as shown in the draw ings, is to be preferred. \Vhen an ordinary rubber or overshoe is upon the foot and the wearer is walking, it will be noticed that wrinkles occur substantially in the position of said rubber strips u, this causing the overshoe to spring away from the wearers foot. This is substantially true with any cut of overshoe, but is emphasized in low-cut or sole rubbers. These articles of footwear having a direct strain from the back of the heel to the toe are drawn away, moreover, from the inside of the shoe in line with the instep, thus causing a gap or opening for the entrance of snow, rain, or slush. We have conceived accordingly that normally placing a slight tension on the overshoe during wear at either side thereof adjacent tov the counter and rearwardly of the instep will obviate the difficulties experienced both as to looseness of the overshoe and its tendency not to [it about the sides of the foot.

In the article shown in the drawings the i last for the overshoe is upwardly tilted or sprung at the heel-section I, sufficient material being cut away from the sides of the rubber fabric to cause it ordinarily to assume this position. The pure-gum strips (t a are vulcanized within the overshoe, preferably being securely anchored at either side of the V-shaped opening between the inner lining' c and the rubber compound or fabric (l, as clearly shown in Fig; IV.

In order better to retain the sole of the overshoe on the foot of the wearer, either a cord or strip of fabric e is vulcanized about the opening of the sole-rubber or the last may be sufficiently grooved in corresponding position to cause the rubber compound to be vulcanized in a manner forming the interior lip e. These equivalent parts will readily slip over the sole of an inserted shoe and hold the former portion of the overshoe in place, while the heel of the shoe, slipping' within the stiEened counter of the overshoe, will place tension upon the strips t a and cause the overshoe to fit closely about the inserted shoe and remain firmly secured in place while being worn.

In the drawings, as stated above, we have shown the preferred position for two elastic strips (o a, closing an opening extending upon a slight diagonal at either side of the forward heel portion or counter of an overshoe lasted to give it an upward spring.

Having now described the preferred ernbodiment of our invention, we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, the following:

`l. In a low-cut sole-rubber or overshoe of the character specified, the combination with a toe portion` having an interior sole-engaging ridge, of a heel portion flexed out of alinement therewith, the same being formed of rubber composition or the like, and V-shaped sections of pure gum or highly-elastic material free to stretch under the tension exerted by the insertion of a shoe, inserted at either side of the heel portion, slightly to the rear of the instep, and thereby retaining the toe and heel portions in place, and insuring the fit of the overshoe, substantially as described.

2. In a sole-rubber or overshoe, the combination with the low-cut toe portion, of an inwardly-formed ridge or lip therein, a high-cut stifened heel portion; the same comprising the body of the sole-rubber, and being' formed of relatively inelastic rubber composition, and strips or webs of pure gum or similar elastic material inserted forwardly of the heel portion, and slightly to the rear of the instep of an inserted shoe,l whereby an even tension is placed upon the side portions in line with the toe, and the rubber is made to lit closely to the foot of the wearer, substantially as set forth.

3. In a sole-rubber or overshoe, the combination with an interiorly-iianged lowcut toe portion adapted to embrace the sole of the inserted shoe, of an upwardly-sprung heel portion, the said parts comprising the body of the sole-rubber, and formed of relatively inelastic rubber composition, and an inserted section or strip of rubber secured in each side of the sole-rubber in line with the front of the heel portion, and slightly to the rear of the instep of an inserted shoe, whereby the sole-rubber is made to fit closely at the sides and is held in place upon the shoe, substantially as set forth.

Signed at Cleveland, this 8th day of April, 1904, `in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES P. MATHEIVSON. CHRISTIAN IV. SCHELL. I'Vitnesses:

JOHN F. MoDoNNELL, ALBERT CYRUs LAwRENoE 

